First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has urged Kenyans to join hands to win the global war against HIV/Aids.
Speaking on Wednesday during the handover ceremony of medical supplies and equipment to Consolata Hospital Kyeni in Embu County, Mrs Kenyatta said as the nation marks World Aids Day on Thursday, Kenyans will be celebrating the progress the country has made in the fight against the disease which has claimed millions of lives and left many destitute.
“We will celebrate the wins we have made over this disease that once claimed millions of lives, left millions of orphaned children and robbed our country of a strong working force of men, women and youth,” said the First Lady.
She thanked the government and its partners for allocating funds and resources to communities, enabling them to join the advocacy and fight stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.
The First Lady said through these initiatives, HIV positive people have been offered hope to live normal productive lives.
“Thank you to all of you who, in your own way, are ensuring that fear no longer dominates our dialogue on HIV, and that we are registering fewer and fewer casualties and new infections of this disease. Today, we can be grateful that hope for HIV positive individuals now abounds,” said the First Lady.
“We all have seen our loved ones, relatives, friends living positively with HIV, they are the face of resilience and the testimony of triumph over fear. They are our proud victory,” she added.
She said the resilience shown by those infected by the virus continue to remind all Kenyans on the need to stand together as a nation in solidarity against the disease.
The First Lady regretted that currently teenagers are more affected by the disease, threatening the country’s future.
“So, we must keep working and keep spreading the information about the risks to our youth because only then will we move closer to victory and win this war,” said the First Lady.
By PSCU.